


World of Redemption

by PunnyMcGee



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Does future noctis count as an OC, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Insomnia, Nightmares, Noctis goes back in time to fix the thing, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, This is all noctis btw, Time Travel Fix-It, end game spoilers mentioned, for being such a cop out every time an opportunity to get closer to prom arrives, him and gladio both tbh, ignis secretly finds it hilarious, invasive thoughts, its mainly nostalgia and also future noct getting frustrated at his past self, me too iggy me too, the promptis is really subtle at first and barely plays a part in the story, we just don't know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-06-05 04:17:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15162461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyMcGee/pseuds/PunnyMcGee
Summary: The World of Ruin is desolate. Noctis has failed to stop Ardyn and every human has paid the price. Then, when all hope is lost and Noctis has nothing left to live for, Gentiana offers him the ability to go back in time.He's given a special necklace that puts a veil over him, making him appear as a total stranger and not like his actual appearance. Under an alias, he takes up the role of a simple Hunter and sets off to change the future and to make sure the days of darkness never come. And yet, he can't help himself from enjoying just being able to live freely again, doing hunts and helping folks as he traveled, as he could before they left for Altissia. Despite this, he tries to keep his influence as little as possible, but he soon learns that fate has its own plans for his future.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What up, it's ya boi, finally back with another fic. Oh look, another fix-it fic. Who'da thunk it.
> 
> Anyways, I've had this idea for months and months and months and finally got the inspiration to write at 2am just now so here y'all go. I have no idea how many chapters this will be or how long my motivation will last, so don't expect regular updates.
> 
> Also, Gentiana is ridiculous to write dialogue for. Who greenlit this?
> 
> Rated Mature for explicit violence, excessive swearing, dick jokes, alcohol, body horror/gore, etc. You get the picture. Tags will be added as I add chapters.
> 
> Want to keep me motivated? Leave a positive comment down below, no matter how small.  
> Want to kill all my motivation in the span of 5 seconds? Tell me to update.

The air around him was clogged with thick, chunky smog. Black particles of plasmodia filled the air and made the very act of breathing a worthy task. The sickly green hue that blanketed the grey, barren landscape seemed to seep into everything. The ruins that lay still for miles where the crown city of Lucis used to be were dull reminders of everything he’d failed to protect. A half-hearted breeze swept through the decayed buildings, seemingly laughing at him as he stood in the throne room, gazing out at all that he’d lost through the massive gouge in the wall. 

He’d caused this. Instead of staying to fight with his friends and comrades, his people, he’d allowed himself to get sucked into the divine crystal. It was there he’d been forced to reside for just over ten years, coming to terms with the fact he was going to have to defeat Ardyn and sacrifice himself in the process. 

Except he hadn’t, because he failed.

He couldn’t stop Ardyn in what should have been their epic, final clash. He’d lost, and as he had lain broken and bleeding, spitting everything from curses to broken pleads to that monster’s feet, he had watched as everything he had left to live for was destroyed in front of him. And there had been nothing he could do to stop it.

Now here he was, once again in the throne room where he’d started that brutal encounter, only now he was alone. And he was ready to end everything if it meant he could get the echo of that worthless demon out of his head. How easy would it be to simply take those few steps forward and finish what Ardyn had started? To close his eyes against the rushing wind and wait for the earth to claim him once again?

“My King.”

He blinked slowly, turning his head enough to see Gentiana standing gracefully behind him, seemingly untouched by the ruin of the world. He scoffed quietly and turned back to the emptiness stretching before him.

“What do you want, Gentiana?” He asked, his voice low and resigned.

“To offer you one final gift to bear thee hence,” she replied, her voice as soft and clear as the first time he’d heard it when he was just a boy.

“A gift,” he echoed dully.

“One which would right the wrongs of this world, sewn from your choices reborn with eyes unclouded.” He blinked slowly, then turned halfway to look at her as she continued, “I hope that this gift may lead to a rebirth of light on this world, long before the ruin of this darkness can descend.”

“What else could you possibly give me?” The man asked, blue eyes once alight with life and mischief now darkened with grief and guilt settling on her. “I have  _ nothing.  _ This world is infested with rot and ruin! What could possibly make a difference now, of all times?"

“Ah,” she breathed, just as gentle as before, her head tilting just slightly as a dog would to a curious sound. "It is precisely that gift which I give you, O' King. The gift... of time"

From behind her came a smaller form, seemingly melting out from her shadow into the shape of the dog. White markings played over its fur, a splash of grey over its muzzle as it comes to sit beside her patiently. Eyes that seemed all too human looked up at him from that furry face, and he found himself taken aback for just a moment.

“Umbra,” he finally said, and Gentiana’s gentle tilt of her head is the only confirmation he needs. The dog barked once, his tail thwacking against the floor as he shifts a bit, ears swiveling towards him.

“Yes. He has an ability which thou had not been able to access before.” Gentiana released her hold on her own hand and moved it to gently pat the dog’s head. “I’ve blessed him with the ability to guide one through time, to a day where the sun does yet rise and the dawn is scarcely appreciated.”

He could feel something pulsing inside the hollow cavity of his chest. Something tight and warm and entirely too dangerous for him to acknowledge. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

“And exactly how is this supposed to help?” He asked, his voice breaking. “How could this  _ possibly _ help? This world is doomed to be a forsaken wasteland forged through sickness and paved by demon carnage. There is nothing I could do to change that!” He felt his lips twist into a snarl, a fire burning at the back of his throat and behind his eyes. “This life is meaningless.  _ My _ life is  _ meaningless!” _

It was then that Gentiana slowly opened her eyes, and she gazed at him with the utmost sincere sadness that he felt all his anger whither into mourning.

“It is not here that you will find your answers. The path is laid before your feet, you need only follow.”

He dropped his head to the side with a sharp motion, clicking his tongue in mock irritation, but he felt nothing. Even as he clenched his fists and ground his teeth, the actions were hollow and weak. 

He released his next breath through his nose and looked back up at her, his voice sounding solid and strange to his own ears,  “What do I have to do?”

The messenger offered him a small smile then, “Go back to the world of hope. Discover the way to forsaking the darkness this world has been plunged into. But be wary, my king. The past is not as concrete as you may believe, and the future not as sure. You may walk a righteous path, but your steps can still leave lasting footprints.”

He narrowed his eyes, understanding exactly what she meant, “Then how do I lessen my impact on what doesn’t need to be changed?”

There was a moment of silence before Gentiana raised her hands in front of her chest, cupping the air. The very air within them seemed to glow, becoming tangible as her fingers wove the strands of light together. He watched in modest curiosity, eyes barely reflecting the glittering light before it seemed to pop like a soap bubble. It left a beautifully faceted crystal hanging off an ornate chain, and his eyes followed it as it draped itself over her hands.

She watched as he slowly closed the distance between them, and as he approached she offered him the necklace, “This will veil you as a stranger to all you meet, my king, and keep your impact minimal where it need not be. Do not remove it. But beware the truth of silver and glass, for reflections cannot lie.” He took the necklace from her, eyes tracing the way the faint aura surrounding it seemed to reflect off his ashen skin. 

“Avoid mirrors. Alright.” He looked up only to find Gentiana had vanished from right in front of him, leaving only Umbra where he sat waiting patiently.

“I leave with one last word of caution, for thou should not be careless,” Gentiana’s voice seemed to echo softly in the room, draping over him in gentle curtains. “The world you will travel to is as it was when you first started your quest to Altissia, and those who inhabit it still tread its roads. Do not forget your mission for familiar faces.”

And with that, he felt her presence vanish, and he was left alone once again.

He sighed and turned to Umbra, who stood at his silent command and came over to him, panting happily with a wolfish smile as if nothing were wrong.

“Guess I’ve got no choice,” he gritted his teeth, the hand holding the necklace clenching tightly as his brow furrowed. “There’s nothing for me here anymore." He looked down at the hand holding the necklace, unclenching it to look at the crystal lying prettily in his palm. "But maybe I can make it so none of this comes to pass.” He haphazardly threw the chain over his head so that the necklace fell loosely around his neck, the crystal pendant a pleasant weight against his chest. A tingling spread over his skin and he looked down at Umbra once more. “Take me away, boy.”


	2. Alta Ambulant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis wakes up in the middle of the Leide drylands but can't quite figure out _when_ he is. He travels to Hammerhead to find out exactly how far back he was taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made an update to the first chapter and a lot was added. It's basically what was going to be the second chapter added to the first one instead. I don't know if I'll stick with this length since my creative flow kept getting gummed up but we'll see. I used to write 10k+ chapters for other fics. I don't know why it's so hard to do now.
> 
> Most of the events that follow canon that I include are based on my own personal playthrough of the game.

The first thing he realized when he woke was that it was midday and the light was bright and scorching hot. When he took a deep breath, he inhaled a tablespoon of dust and grit, making him jerk into a sitting position and cough into his fist. His eyes blearily blinked open and he absently rubbed at them with a hand. It was only when rough leather scraped over his skin that he looked at himself for the first time.

His skin had gone from ashen and grey to warm and dotted with light freckles. He was decked out in some rugged khakis and a worn t-shirt, along with some run-of-the-mill hiking boots. His hair was a fair bit longer than it had been and when he pulled it around his face, locks that had once been a dusty blue had deepened to chocolate brown streaked with blond, among some regrettably grey hairs. And to top it all off, every inch of him was covered in dust.

With some effort and grunts of pain from his lingering injuries he pushed himself into a crouched position, standing up warily as he surveyed his surroundings. He’d been next to some dry brush that scattered the copper landscape, which was flecked with spots of yellow and lighter orange, but there was not a single creature around for miles.

Slowly he closed his eyes as he tilted his head up, finally taking his first moment to just breath in the dry air clean of dark parasites and let the sunshine wash over him. He probably looked like a lunatic, just standing there with his face up to the sky, but he didn’t care. He’d nearly forgotten the warmth of the sun, the comfort of a strong breeze on a cloudless day. It sang past his ears in a chipper melody, bringing the scent of brittle grass and oil from the distant road, and he felt a flicker of life inside him. 

He sighed softly and looked around. There were some blocky mountains off to his right. He recognized their shape and his eyes flashed over his surroundings a little faster. Yes, there was Longwhythe Peak, where the adamantoise was currently hibernating. He could see a road about twenty yards off and watched a rusted, blue car amble down its gritty surface. And in the distance straight ahead, he could see the shimmering of buildings through the heatwaves. 

Hammerhead. 

It wasn’t a light in the dark, fortified with crates and electric fences as it had been when he’d last saw it. It looked plain and ordinary, the sheen surfaces of the buildings reflecting the sunlight like a beacon, even in broad daylight.

He dropped his head and rubbed a hand down his face, feeling exhaustion truly sweep over him. He felt his ribs ache and fire crawled along his calf; now the only physical reminders of the battle he’d lost and the world he’d failed to save. He could feel bruises still dotting his skin, fresh and watery. 

It seemed his first stop was going to be Hammerhead, if only to get some supplies to patch himself up. He had a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. Tucking the necklace under the collar of his shirt, he took a deep breath and started walking.

The trek was long and painful but he grit his teeth and did it, trying his best to avoid ditches and rogue stones jutting up from the ground as if they were trying to make him trip and injure himself further. Still, he managed. And after carefully creeping around a pack of sabertusks, he was free to cover the last half mile to the town. It was still just as dingy and plain as he remembered, and he couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen something so beautiful.

He was barely given passing glances as he limped into town with nothing but the clothes on his back and he felt relieved at that. It was only as he was nearing the gas station that he realized he didn’t have any money on him. He scowled at himself and was about to turn towards the diner to go get a hunting job before a voice called out behind him.

“Hey, stranger!” 

The accent was so familiar and bright it felt like a slap to the face, and he felt himself unwilling to turn and face its owner. He managed to at least look over his shoulder as they jogged over to him, and he came face to face with the pretty, oil-smudged face of Cindy Aurum.

“Hey, there! Sorry for callin’ ya out of the blue like that. I’m Cindy.” 

“Hey,” he said and he was a little surprised at how husky his voice sounded, gritty and a little deeper than his normal voice. She looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to continue. He cursed internally. He hadn’t thought of an alias for himself yet, having hoped to keep his head down and get by unnoticed. 

A name suddenly popped into his head, and he knew for a fact that nobody would ever make the connections between himself and the prince. 

“I’m Alta,” he offered with his hand. “Alta Ambulant.”

She smiled brightly at him and shook his hand with her own, continuing on, “Pleasure makin’ your acquaintance, Alta, but I noticed you were sportin’ a limp as you came in.” Her brow furrowed in concern and he was hit with an intense urge to do everything in his power to wipe it away.

“Not a big deal,” he shrugged. He cleared his throat impulsively as if trying to clear away the roughness in it and continued, “Just uh, got into a fight with some sabertusks on the way here. One of them got lucky and got my leg. I was going to the store for some bandages.”

“Tell ya what, I got a bit of extra cash for emergencies, you can have it,” she replied.

He shook his head and tried to ignore how the little movement made his head swim, “That’s alright, I was going to the tipster for some hunting jobs anyways.”

She looked unimpressed and gave him a knowing once-over, “You don’t look like you got too many supplies on ya. I’ll save you the trouble.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to do-” He quickly turned to face her, which was a mistake because his injured leg finally gave out as pain laced up his side and he choked on his words, on hand flashing up to press against his side.

Her hands were quickly on his shoulders, eyes widening just a bit in suppressed alarm, “Looks like they got more than your leg to me, sugar. C’mon now, let me help you into the garage so I can patch you up.”

He grunted and begrudgingly let her help him into a standing position before they slowly made their way towards the large garage. He found she was surprisingly strong, but really why was he surprised? She was Cindy afterall.

She plopped him down on a nearby plastic chair as soon as they were out of the sun and the stares of the scattered public after he’d collapsed. 

“Now you wait right there, I know paw-paw has a first-aid kit ‘round here somewhere.”

“And exactly what would you be needin’ it for, Cindy?” A withered voice said to the left, and he looked over to see none other than the old geezer himself as he’d first seen him, hunched and grouchy but proud nonetheless.

“Found us a wanderer that got himself hurt with no money for supplies,” she replied, her tone casually stern, as if she were expecting an argument. “So I brought him in for a quick patch job.”

“I’m fine, miss,” he tried again, moving to stand, but she whipped around and pointed a wrench from who knows where at him with a surprisingly intimidating glare.

“You move from that spot and you’re going to need a lot more than a potion and bandages, hun.” He rolled his eyes but threw his hands up in mock surrender, leaning back in the chair with a grunt.

Cid snorted from the doorway, giving him a look over, “You do best to avoid her bad side. Nice enough she decided you were worth helpin’ out when she’s got a pretty important customer comin’ soon.”

“Please, paw-paw, don’t scare ‘im more’n I already have.” Cindy had one knee on a counter to give her just enough leverage to slide the first-aid kit from the top shelf. “And why’s this thing in such’a inconvenient place, anywho?” Cid grunted disapproval but seemed to take his own advice and kept his mouth shut. Cindy strode back over and plopped the little white box down on the mobile desk next to him, flipping open the lid. “Now, lemme see that leg.”

“Really, you were kind enough to find a first-aid kit, I can do it myself.”

“Nonsense,” she said, waving a hand dismissively before crouching down and smacking a leg. He yelped as pain flashed over his calf and he nearly kicked her, but she only grinned and started rolling up his pant-leg. “This one, I take it.” She whistled as the cluster of bruises and gashes covered in dried blood were revealed, twisting over his skin as if he had been whipped with barbed wire. He narrowed his eyes as he briefly recalled the lashes of dark energy he’d been hit with over and over again, tying his legs together and dragging him away from his friends whenever he got close enough to try and help them. Panicked indigo eyes flashed across his mind and he swallowed hard as he tried to keep himself present.

Cindy hummed softly as she reached tentatively forward, fingers hovering over the wounds as if frightened by what she saw, “And you say a sabertusk did this?” She glanced up at him with disbelief dancing in her eyes, but he turned his head and clenched his jaw with a nod. “Well, I’m sure after a few potions and you’ll be right as rain. You might be able to stop at a few outposts and rest stops for more bandages and potions. All I can do is give you a fairly good patch job ‘till you get some more supplies.”

He was grateful she had dropped the probing so quickly, “Thank you.”

He watched her clean the wounds and wind bandages around him for a while in silence, feeling tired and sore. He grit his teeth against the hot flashes of pain whenever antiseptic hit an open wound. After what was probably half an hour, Cindy carefully laid down the last band-aid and gave him a couple pats on his uninjured knee before she stood up.

“Well, that’ll probably hold you for a while.” She turned to the old clock ticking on the wall behind him and frowned, “Now where are those boys? They shoulda been here fifteen minutes ago.”

He froze where he was inspecting the bruises on one hand and looked up at her, “Boys?”

“Yeah, some fellas from the crown city are s’posda be comin’ round here for a spell.” She turned and smiled down at him with a coy wink, “Heard one of ‘em got himself hitched to a pretty lady and he’s headin’ to their meetin’ place.”

He felt his blood run cold and stood up just a bit too quickly, a dizzy spell forcing him back down with Cindy quick to his side. “Easy there, sugar. You’re in no condition to be on your feet right now.”

“The date.”

“What?”

“What’s the date?”

She gave him a quizzical look but before she could reply, Cid’s voice wandered over from just outside the garage, “Today marks the twenty-ninth day of the eleventh month of the year, boy.”

November 29th. That means today is--

“The day we left,” he mumbled to himself, realization hitting him hard.

“Pardon?” Cindy asked again, but he shook his head. His eyes found the garage entrance, wide and inviting to the sunshine. From where he sat, he could see down the road for miles. He squinted a bit at a blurry, black shape that seemed to be crawling along with two skinny figures beside it and one in the driver’s seat.

“I have to go,” he said sternly and tried to stand up again.

“Now hold on here,” Cindy said, trying to push him down. “What’s got you so worked up all of a sudden?”

“Nothing, I just-” His eyes flashed to the road again. The car was getting closer. He could see the shape of its owner’s hair and clothes. He turned to Cindy and took one of her hands in both of his with surprising gentleness, “Listen, you went above and beyond to help a nobody like me. But I have to get going.” His eyes jumped over to the door again and he swallowed at the sight of dark blue hair bristling backwards and its owner approaching very quickly with three others in tow.

Cindy eyed him curiously before she sighed and put her free hand over his, “Well, alright, but I want you to take a map with you so ya don’t get lost or nothin’.” She slipped her hands out of his almost half-heartedly and turned towards a cabinet. He glanced over his shoulder again but turned back when he heard a drawer close. Cindy straightened up and handed him a large, folded paper. “And I want you to take my number too so you can call me if ya get into any more trouble.”

“That’ll be hard since I don’t own a phone,” he said, taking the map and tucking it into his back pocket. 

Cindy huffed at him in a bit of annoyance, swinging her hip to the side to meet her hand, “Well take it anyways. Plenty of pay phones around.” She grabbed a loose scrap of paper and a pen from nearby, scribbling a slew of numbers that he already knew by heart onto it, and handed it to him. “I want you to call me whenever you can.” 

He was about to respond when he heard a long, drawn-out groan behind him, turning to see his long-lost Regalia being pushed into the lot. A skinny guy dramatically collapsed onto the ground butt-first, blond hair sticking to his sweat-coated face. A groan towards the rear drew his gaze to a muscular man leaning on the trunk, the sunlight shining off his leather jacket. The driver-side door opened and then slammed shut and he glanced back towards the front to see a tall, sharply-dressed man adjusting the sleeves of his suit jacket.

But these weren’t his best friends he was seeing, or even his timeline that he was in. He’d already lived these days, experienced these memories. He shouldn’t be here. He couldn’t be seen, even disguised.

He saw Cindy looking at him worriedly and he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently, “This is going to sound weird but please don’t mention I was here.”

Cindy reached over and gave his hand a pat, “We all have our secrets, Alta. My lips are sealed.”

“Think we can take a breather?” A deep voice rumbled outside and it practically vibrated through him.

“Well, seeing as we’ve arrived at our destination, I’d say so,” rang a voice that was so familiar it hurt.

“So,” drawled the higher voice and Noctis leaned over to see the blond looking around from under a shaded hand. “Where’s the mechanic? Because if I have to push the car any further, I think I’ll die.”

The muscular man rolled his eyes, “Oh man up, ya big baby.”

Cindy squeezed his hand to get his attention, smiling softly as she pointed to a side door, “That’ll lead through the storage area to the side of the building, so they won’t see you. I can distract them so they won’t notice you passing through.” For once he felt relieved and slid around her towards the door, but she grabbed his wrist and turned him around, “Don’t forget to contact me every once in a while so I know you’re okay.” And before he could say anything, she’d pulled some money out of her back pocket and into his hand, her look leaving no room for arguing, “Be safe.”

His hand closed around the money and he took a step back, “Of course.” 

“Does that look like the garage?”

“Could be. I can check it out.”

He inhaled sharply and took a few steps back out of view of the garage entrance, “Thank you again.”

Cindy was already heading for the opening and waved for him to go, “You can thank me later.”

And with that he opened the door and slid out, quickly making his way through the mess of tools and carts to the side entrance. He winced at the sunshine but slid over to the side, looking around the building where he could see the rear of the car. He risked looking a little further around to see the whole thing and sighed longingly. The Regalia looked as majestic and regal as he remembered it, her black coat sparkling in the sun under a thin layer of dust.

He saw Cindy as she finally walked outside, her voice as chipper and welcoming as the first time he’d heard it, “Hey there! Y’all kept a girl waitin’!” She just barely stepped into his line of sight and he quickly ducked back behind the wall before the others noticed him behind her. “Now, which one’s the prince?” 

He just barely tilted his head around the corner and saw none other than his twenty-year-old self stand up from where he’d been sitting behind the other side of the car. 

Cindy moved around the back of the car to meet him, “Aha! Hello, your highness! Congrats on your wedding!”

“Not hitched just yet.”

“Lady Lunafreya’s groom-to-be, here in Hammerhead.”

“Apologies for taking so long,” the tall brunet standing at the front the car said.

He let a breath tremble past his lips and ducked back behind the building, shoulders sagging against the metal. He hadn’t thought about Luna in years. Her face was blurry in his mind, pale, yet ghosted with kindness he knew he would never forget.

He’d failed her. He let her die, just like he let everyone else die by the end.

He took a deep, slow breath, letting it out in a measured count. He had to stay focused. He had to work towards saving the future from that horrid fate he’d led it into. He could still hear Cindy talking with the others but he knew that soon they’d be wandering around doing hunts and odd jobs for some cash. He had to get out of town while he could do so unseen by them. He didn’t really care if anyone else saw him, but he had to avoid his past self and friends at any cost.

So while Cindy threw out her natural charm, he slipped behind buildings as best he could. Thankfully the cheerful mechanic’s first-aid was as top-notch as her handyman skills and his pain had lessened considerably, leaving him comfortably mobile for the time being. Might as well milk that for all it was worth and get as far away as possible. 

When he was behind the diner he pulled out the map, his memory of the roads being a little foggy. If he followed the road towards the Longwhythe Rest Area, he could make his way to Wiz’s chocobo farm and get a chocobo rental for the rest of the journey. He only hoped his injuries would hold out until he was able to get more supplies.

He glanced at the rusted wall of the diner, a finger rubbing over the map in thought. Maybe he could do one hunt while he was here? No, it was too risky. After everything Cindy had done to help him and even doing him an extra favor by covering him so he could discreetly exit the garage without his past self or friends seeing him, he couldn’t risk it all like that. She’d surely notice him going in or out of the diner and besides, he didn't have any weapons besides the armiger. He didn’t even know if he still had access to it in this time. He could hear the distant voices of his friends getting closer and decided he better move now and figure out his limitations later. He wasn’t about to make Cindy worry any more than she already did.

He quickly refolded the map and tucked it into his back pocket. When the others were in the diner talkin to Takka, he slipped away into the desert and down the road.

It took all but six and a half hours of walking for him to be brutally reminded just how hot the desert could be with barely any sort of shade to even take a short refuge under. The scragally shrubbery and tall, jagged boulders jutting out from the landscape were practically useless in providing cover. Not to mention that whenever there  _ was _ cover, it was occupied by a pack of sabertusks or saphyrtails and he just didn’t have the energy to deal with them even if he’d had weapons. He was barely halfway to the outpost when he finally found a large enough tree that seemed to give just enough of a dark patch for him to sit under. 

His leg had started throbbing under the bandages about two hours down the road, returning him to a limp that had cut his speed nearly in half. He had a pounding headache that was no doubt from dehydration from all the sweating he’d done. His shirt was soaked and his face felt like he’d splashed hot water onto it, drops of sweat trailing over his flushed skin. He took a moment to take in his surroundings and get a better idea of exactly where he was. The area was still dusty and yellow, though he believed he was somewhere by the Three Valleys, if he recalled correctly. He’d stuck close to the dirt road to avoid getting lost and to minimize his chances of conflict with the local fauna. He’d gotten some curious looks from people driving by, and on at least three occasions, they’d pulled over to ask if he wanted a ride to wherever he was going. He’d been pleasantly surprised at the offers, though he was too wary of others - and set on keeping to himself - to accept. They had shrugged and driven off.

He almost wished he’d taken one of them up on their offer because he could already feel his skin getting sunburned and his body trying to shut down from overheating and the lack of water. He let out a long, slow breath and forced himself back to his feet, his injured calf and ribcage groaning in protest as his head swam. Yet he knew he couldn’t stay there any longer. He had to make it to the rest stop so he could get his leg fixed up again and call Cindy so she could stop worrying. 

He braced one hand on the bark of the tree, barely noting the rough wood under his fingertips. The yellows and oranges of the landscape blurred together, the browns and greys of the rocks smeared across his vision as he felt himself lurch and his shoulder hit the tree with a dull thud. He could feel his breath coming in faster and yet it felt harder to do, his chest seemingly unwilling to expand when he tried to gasp for breath. The air scraped over his tongue and pricked at his dried lips. His vision was swimming along with his head and he let himself just lean against the tree while he waited for the world to slow down.

“Hey there, stranger,” a voice said a little to his left. It sounded much farther away than that, as if calling to him from half a mile away. He tried to look towards the voice but his vision just became a jumbled mess of dirty colors. He blinked rapidly to try and focus his eyes and made out dark brown form to his left, but that was all he could do. He tried to make out coherent thoughts but his brain suddenly felt like it was scrambled eggs sizzling on a hot skillet. The brown thing was talking to him again, and this time it seemed closer and slightly more in focus.

“Hey now, you don’t look so good,” it said and he felt an arm guiding him back into a sitting position with his back against the tree. Something kinda rough pressed against his forehead and neck and he couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes against the cool touch against his flaming skin. “You’re mighty dehydrated, you know that?” The words were wobbly against his ears but before he could try and focus on them, there was something hard against his lips. “Here, drink this.”

Something soft and cold dribbled into his mouth just then and he instinctively swallowed it. Water. Whatever or whoever this was, they were giving him water. He wanted to snatch the source from them and guzzle it all down, but he could practically hear a stern voice in the back of his mind growling at him not to while a softer one chided him. So he stayed there and let them manage the flow until he’d had a decent amount. He let his head drop against the tree and closed his eyes, thankful that when he opened them again, the world around him was in better focus. The one who’d stopped to help him was sitting by his side, holding a phone to his ear with his shoulder as he redressed his own ankle. 

“...under a tree. Nah, near one of the procurement points just past the old shack. Next to the road, yeah.” Noctis watched as the other finished wrapping his ankle and expertly tied it off so the bandages wouldn’t fall off or loosen. There was a moment of silence before the stranger turned back to him, noting he was more coherent by his less glassy look. “Well he seems to be better. I’mma ask him who he is, hold on.” The stranger that seemed oddly familiar to Noctis now looked over at him with a friendly look, concern still pinched in the corner of his eyes, “Hey, you back with us yet?”

“Yeah,” he replied, trying not to wince at how scrappy he sounded or how it had hurt to even say that one word.

“Good to hear. You were pretty out of it when I came upon ya.” He offered Noctis a canteen, the other hand moving to hold his phone. The younger man took it gratefully and carefully sipped from the opening. “Can you tell me your name, son?”

“...Alta,” he answered after a particularly long sip.

The other leaned into the phone, “Yeah, it’s him.” A moment of silence, then the man was offering him the phone. He chuckled at his quizzical look, “She wants to talk to you. Says she knows ya and she’s worried to heck.”

He carefully took the cell phone and held it to his ear, “Hello?”

“Now what in tarnation are you doin’ collapsing in the middle of the road like that? You’ve had me worried ever since you left and apparently I was right to do so!”

He yanked the phone away at the sharp voice, wincing as he started explaining himself, “Cindy, I-” 

“I don’t wanna hear it! You’re lucky you were found when ya’ were or who knows what kind of trouble you could’a gotten yourself into!”

“I know, I’m-” He was cut off again.

“First Dave hurts his ankle and goes MIA. Then when I finally hear from him, it’s to tell me he found some wanderer collapsed on the side of the road!” 

_ Dave. _ That’s why the stranger beside him looked so familiar, as well as why his ankle was twisted. That’s right, Cindy had asked them to find him while they were waiting for the car to be repaired. Cindy was still yelling in his ear, though, so he tried refocusing on her.

“...-nd another thing, I’ve heard ‘bout you from three different visitors who were talking about some guy walkin’ down the road. Apparently one of ‘em offered to drive ya’ and you said no! Are you listenin’ to me, Alta?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He heard Dave chuckle beside him again.

“Now Dave was nice enough to stop and help ya’ so you better stick with him ‘till you get to the outpost.”

“But I-”

She huffed sharply and silenced him, “I don’t wanna hear it! You either go with him or you come straight back here, you hear?”

He felt like he was getting his ear chewed off by Gladio, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good!” He could hear someone talking to her in the background before she continued. “I have to go now, got those boys to check up on and their car to finish. Please call me when you and Dave arrive at the outpost, ‘kay sugar?”

“Of course, Cindy. I’m-” He paused and tried to force a breath past the knot in his chest, “I’m… sorry for worrying you. I’ll be more careful.”

Her voice was softer when she replied, though she still sounded a little mad, “You better be. Talk to ya’ later.” And then she hung up.

He handed the phone back to Dave, who was trying not to smile, “You two sound close, which is strange considerin’ I never heard’a ya’ before.”

He shrugged in reply and let his head lean against the tree once more, closing his eyes against the harsh light reflecting off of every surface around him or maybe his eyes were just over-sensitive at the moment. 

“I just met her today, actually,” he lied.

“Really?” Dave sounded genuinely surprised so Noctis shrugged again. “Well, where were you headin’, anyways?” Dave asked, taking his own swig from the canteen.

“Longwhythe,” he replied, trying to swallow the hoarseness in his throat.

“An’ you were just gunna walk the whole way there?” Dave asked, incredulous. He gave him a look and Noctis shrugged for a third time.

“Kinda left Hammerhead in a bit of a hurry,” he supplied, looking out over the dusty landscape from their scrap of shade. “Didn’t have a ride so I started walking.”

“Well far be it from me to tell a stranger what’s best for ‘im,” the older man said with a slight tone of concern. “But there are plenty of folks round these parts who’d have been more’n happy to give ya a ride.”

Noctis ran a hand through the back of his hair, combing the soaked strands away from his sticky neck, “Yeah… a few people asked if I wanted a lift but I turned them down.”

“How come?”

“I’m just not one to rely on the kindness of strangers.” 

Dave nodded in understanding, “I can understand that. Not all folks have good intentions when they offer to help.” He offered the canteen to him again which Noctis gladly accepted, his throat still aching with every word. Noctis grunted in reply and tried to give him back the canteen, looking over when Dave didn’t take it back. 

Dave gave him a pointed look, “Still, you don’t seem in any condition to be walking right now. If you’d like, we can go to the rest stop together. I was headin’ there anyways. You could rest up there for a bit before you head out again.” He shrugged and looked away, “I could try and find you a ride to your next stop so you don’t have to walk.”

Noctis was quiet for a moment, trying to find something in Dave’s face, some kind of malice or trickery. It was all he knew after the hell he’d been through. But there was none that he could see, just an honest, good-natured offer. He sighed softly and took another sip from the canteen before capping it, managing to stand up much easier this time and his migraine had lessened considerably. His calf still throbbed and his ribs ached but the pain was bearable.

“Better make tracks then,” he said. Dave looked up at him and grinned, his lips cocked too far to the left. It made Noctis realize that in all the time he’d known Dave, he had never seen him smile. 

The hunter stood up, dusting off the back of his pants, “That we should. C’mon, the rest area is past the Three Valleys and there’s plenty ‘a varmints on the way.” He walked past Noctis and out into the sun with the other close behind. 

Noctis caught up to him easily enough since Dave was still sporting a slight limp, “Hey, uh, I never thanked you for stopping to help me.”

Dave waved him off, “No need to thank me. It’s what we hunters do. Gotta look out for civilians and wanderers. I was just doin’ my part.”

“How noble, though I wouldn’t exactly call myself a civilian,” the younger man replied.

“Take it you can fend for yourself, then?” The hunter asked, quirking a brow at him.

Noctis shrugged a shoulder noncommittally, “Yeah, I can fight as well as the next guy.” He paused, clearing his throat, “Though I, uh, don’t have my weapons on me at the moment.”

Dave raised his eyebrows in surprised, “What happened to ‘em?”

“Broke my last weapon in a fight with a pack of Sabertusks,” he lied.

Dave’s surprise faded to concern, “So you mean to tell me you were wanderin’ out here with nothin’ to defend yourself with?”

Noctis’ thumb idly ran over the underside of his ring, his very last weapon, “...More or less.”

Dave shook his head, “Well I can’t do all the fightin’.” He paused their trek to reach into a pack on his side and procured two daggers, offering them to Noctis. “It’s dangerous out there, so take these. At least until you manage to replace your weapons.” 

Noctis looked at the daggers being offered to him - a pair of Orichalcum daggers that were no doubt from the Meldacio weapons shop - and then back at Dave with a hard look.

“Are you sure you want me to have these?” He asked, knowing how expensive they were.

“A‘course I’m sure,” was the reply and Dave motioned for Noctis to take them. He did so carefully, looking over the blades in the sunlight and found them to be well-kept. “Now you know how to use daggers, don’t’cha?”

“I’m better with a sword but yeah, I’m pretty good with daggers as well.” Noctis grabbed both dagger handles in one hand since he had no side pouch to put them in and he didn’t want to accidentally tear open his thigh by putting them in his pants pocket. The armiger was also out of the question until he found out whether or not he could use it in this timeline, and he absolutely wasn’t going to use it in front of anyone.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll have a few chances to use ‘em on our way to the rest stop,” the older man said, cutting into Noctis’ train of thought. “But if we wanna get there before dark, we’re gunna have to get going.”   
“Right.” Noctis fell into step just behind him as Dave turned back towards the dirt road that lead south. They walked mainly in silence after that with only the occasional warning to watch their footing or a whispered exchange to slide past groups of fauna undetected.

They managed to make it to the rest stop by dusk, the sky awash in pastel pinks and fiery oranges that licked the peaks of the nearby hills. The motel was just as dingy as he remembered, the ‘O’ on the stand-alone neon sign flickering offbeat to the music coming out from the diner across the road. Travellers were scattered around the area and in the diner, their conversations a calming murmur of indecipherable voices that filtered through the air, mixing with the occasional passing car.

Noctis felt as though his legs would cave beneath him if he stopped moving and he wouldn’t be able to find the will to stand again. Dave seemed to notice his exhaustion and guided them both towards the diner.

“We’ve had a long walk and you’re still dehydrated,” Dave said when Noctis tried to protest. “And as far as I know, you haven’t eaten in a while. So why don’t we sit down and order something. Relax for a bit. We’re safe here.”

Noctis pulled in one corner of his lips in distaste, “...Alright.” Dave clapped him on the shoulder and walked into the diner, Noctis following a little slower. They sat in a booth and Dave ordered them both a cup of coffee after the waitress had set down the complimentary glasses of waters. Within minutes they had two slightly stained cups set in front of them and cheap, hot coffee poured into each one. The aroma filled the small area of their booth and even though Noctis wasn’t usually a fan of coffee, he found himself cradling the mug in his hands anyways. He closed his eyes as memories of Ignis sipping from a can of ebony while reading the morning newspaper washed over him. 

Six, he missed Ignis. 

“Nothin’ like a good cuppa joe after a long trek,” the hunter hummed over the rim of his cup, jolting Noctis out his nostalgia. His chest still ached with the desire to see his advisor again.

“Yeah,” he said, looking down into the near-black liquid, thinking back to Hammerhead and how his friends had all been right there. They’d been so close after he’d failed to save them, and he couldn’t even talk to them or tell them he was sorry for failing them; for failing the world.

“You alright, Alta?” Dave’s voice cut through his thoughts once more and he looked up at the hunter.

“...Yeah, I’m alright, just tired.” He took a sip from the coffee, finding he relished the bitter flavor. It reminded him of Ignis and he found himself recalling his advisor’s cologne mingling with the scent of dark roast coffee.

Dave nodded, “That’s understandable after the day you’ve been through.” He leaned back in his seat and finished off his coffee, sliding the mug towards the end of the table as he stood up.

“Where are you going?” Noctis asked before he could stop himself.

“Got a few errands to run ‘round here,” the older man replied, sliding out of the booth. “You order whatever ya like. It’s on me. You need to get your strength back if yer gunna be travellin’ around,” he added when the younger man tried to protest. 

Noctis sighed, “If you insist.”

“That I do.” The hunter reached behind him and pulled out his phone, placing it on the table. “Might wanna give Cindy a call, too. She sounded pretty upset with you before.”

Noctis huffed and picked up the phone, “Yeah, sure.”

Dave nodded, “I’ll be back in about an hour. Take care of yourself until then.”

“You too,” he said to Dave’s back, following him with his eyes as he exited the diner and walked towards the motel. The waitress came back and he placed an order for a burger, hold the vegetables, and a side of fries. He also asked for a refill on his water, as he’d drained his cup within minutes of it being set in front of him. 

He was halfway through his meal when he saw a long, dark car pull off the dusty road onto the faded pavement. He watched it pull in front of the motel and narrowed his eyes as four figures clambered out, the headlights on the car flicking off. He realized just then that the sun had just about set and night was almost there. His gaze danced around the area outside of the diner looking for Dave but he couldn’t find him. His focus jumped again to the familiar group of men and he watched as one stayed behind at the motel counter while the others spread out.

He tore his eyes from the window to his food. He’d forgotten that they had also stopped at this rest stop their first night out after the car was fixed. Even though he was disguised and there was no way they were going to recognize him, he couldn’t help the adrenaline that clawed at his heart, making it beat faster. 

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He’d be fine. Even though he was pretty sure they came in the diner at one point, he’d be fine.

He finished his meal and was idly nursing a second cup of coffee when he remembered that Dave had left him his phone. He probably should call Cindy back. It was getting pretty late but knowing her, she was probably still awake and working. He dialed her number and raised his cup to his lips while it rang.

The phone managed two full rings before she picked up, “What’s up, Dave?”

Noctis swallowed a mouthful of coffee, “He’s out running errands, actually.”

“Alta?”

“Yeah.”

“Good to hear from ya.” He could hear her jacket rustling as she moved to crank something. “I’m guessin’ y’all made it to the Longwhythe rest area?”

“Yeah. Made it just before dark.” He put his cup down, his thumb rubbing back and forth over the lip of the cup, “Sorry again for earlier.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, but the next time I hear about you collapsin’ on the side of the road, you won’t be gettin’ away with just a lecture, you hear?”

“Loud and clear,” he chuckled.

“Good. Now you said Dave was off doin’ errands?”

“Yep.”

“Well pass him a message for me, would ya?”

“Sure.” 

“I sent those boys from earlier to the rest stop for the night. Needed ‘em to deliver a package for me but there’s a letter in there for Dave, too.” She grunted as she twisted something on whatever she was working on, a loud grinding noise making him jerk the phone away from his ear with a wince. 

“A what?”

“Letter. Envelope. You know, some information.”

“Gotcha.”

“Make sure he gets it from ‘em before they leave.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks Alta. Now I gotta finish this job so I can actually sleep tonight. You keep in touch, though.”

“Sure thing. Don’t have too much fun.”

He could hear her grin, “No such thing as too much fun.” 

She hung up right as his past self and his friends walked into the diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Fun Fact:** The date I used in this chapter was November 29th, the release date for _Final Fantasy XV_
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> Leave a positive comment/review if you wanna see more and hit that kudos button if you like what you read!
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